Career - 7

***

As it started to get dark, Alexis ventured into the woods. She checked the letter, which detailed the coordinates and a mini map of the island. She knew exactly where to go: the meeting spot was the abandoned dorm.

'Why would they want Gojo to meet them there?' she thought suspiciously. Determined to get to the bottom of this, Alexis pressed on.

She remembered the unknown group of students in white uniforms who had recently started appearing at school. Not much was known about them, except that they used to be students wearing one of the three colors uniforms.

Upon arrival, she spotted a group of students dressed in Obelisk white, patrolling the area under the starlit sky. Alexis quickly hid herself behind a tree.

'Those guys… are all wearing an Obelisk uniform, but in white. Why are they patrolling the abandoned dorm?' she wondered.

Alexis stayed hidden behind a tree, hoping they hadn't noticed her yet. She was just about to make a move when a loud crack shattered the silence of the night. She looked down in horror—she had stepped on a branch.

Her heart pounded fiercely as she stood frozen, terrified of being discovered. But it wasn't her fault. The culprit was Gojo, who was perched stealthily in the tree above her, snapping branches loudly at precisely the right moments when she moved.

Because Gojo lived by a personal rule: if you caused trouble for him, he'd cause trouble for you. He called it "real-life equivalent exchange," but his friends just called it "next-level petty." He might forget favors, but he never forgot grudges.

His antics put Alexis in a state of fear, drawing the attention of all the patrolling students. Now, they were all on high alert, scanning the area where Alexis was hiding.

Finally, Gojo decided he'd had enough fun. He leaped down behind Alexis, swiftly covering her mouth before she could scream. With a burst of energy, he yelled in a different voice, "INTRUDER!" scaring Alexis even more.

Then, hugging her tightly from behind, Gojo clasped his hands and teleported them both back home.

***

"WHAT THE HELL IS WITH YOUR PROBLEM?" Alexis screamed, nearly in tears.

"Seriously, you're asking that? What's yours?" Gojo shot back. "You're going out alone at night again, in a sketchy area with literal guys lurking around. Seriously, I might have to lock you up in my room just to keep an eye on you at all times." He clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

Alexis flinched at his words, secretly considering the idea before quickly dismissing it.

After huffing and calming down, they both looked at each other. Honestly, Alexis should have seen it coming. She had no real means of defending herself if she were to get caught given how Gojo easily caught her and had to teleport them out.

"So, you were following me?" Alexis asked, her voice surprisingly calm now.

"Yeah, you didn't follow me back home. After all, you're supposed to be cooking dinner for me at this time." Gojo said, as if it were obvious.

… 

'Stay calm, Alexis… You've got this. Maybe I should be grateful he followed me. Yeah, grateful.' She muttered to herself upon hearing what Gojo just said.

"You still haven't answered me. Haven't you learned from last time?" Gojo arched his eyebrow.

"I was checking the place out because I found something a bit suspicious with this," Alexis replied timidly, pulling out the letter. "So, are you going to explain what this letter is? Obelisk White. Society of Light. 'The light will set you free'?"

"...? So, you were worried about me?" Gojo leaned in, a smug grin on his face.

"—" Alexis wanted to respond but was cut off.

"Don't answer that," Gojo interrupted, snatching the letter. He crumpled it and destroyed it with his Lapse Blue.

"That suspicious thing is an invitation to a shady cult—a supposedly dangerous one at that. So, I'm ignoring them. They've been trying to recruit me since freshman year," Gojo explained calmly. He pulled her to the couch, and they sat down together.

"Dangerous?" Alexis asked, raising an eyebrow. She didn't really believe him.

"My wife has a gut feeling they're dangerous, and I trust her on that. Your suspicion just confirms it," Gojo shrugged, his confidence unwavering.

"And though I can't prove it, I have a hunch this cult is brainwashing people," Gojo continued, fixing his gaze on Alexis.

"You might have become one of them," he warned. "Maybe even used as a sex slave or something worse." He paused, the weight of the implication sinking in. Though he knew he might be exaggerating considering this type of world, but the message was crystal clear to Alexis. "So, don't mess with them, don't bother them and ignore them."

A moment of silence hung between them before Alexis looked down for a moment, then glanced back at him.

"Shouldn't we report this to the school? I'm sure they would take your words seriously," Alexis pointed out.

"You want me to 'fuck around and find out' by telling the authorities? How should this be handled then when they might retaliate? I don't even know who their leader is yet, and supposedly he controls the students in white. What happens if he orders all the students he controls to commit suicide." Gojo scoffed.

Both Alexis and Gojo seemed to forget that Kaiba is the one who can call all the shots. If he wanted, he could shut down this Obelisk White and the Society of Light cult on Academy Island in an instant.

"Naturally, I didn't want any of you to get involved with them. I'll handle it personally," Gojo said, leaning back. "They were originally operating in secret. But now, as they're becoming more active, things might change."

Alexis felt a mix of relief and anxiety. The thought of being caught by such a dangerous group sent chills down her spine. She was grateful Gojo had been there to get her out, but wait— wasn't this the bastard who revealed where she was in the first place?

Forget it. Forget it. Let's forget it.

Alexis couldn't contain her worry. "Wait, what's your plan now? Aren't they just out there, moving around to brainwash more people in secret!? And how are they even doing it?"

Gojo paused, considering her questions carefully. "I'm not entirely sure yet," he admitted. "I'm planning on observing first." He furrowed his brow, deep in thought.

He was convinced that this Society of Light could brainwash others using magic, most likely through dueling. But how? Was it a shadow game, a medium like the millennium items, or a specific condition? It troubled Gojo deeply.

Those white-clad students, once brainwashed, became tools to spread the influence further, under the command of a leader. Thankfully, you could tell they were brainwashed by the darkened color of their pupils and the stupidly obvious change in uniform. But did their personalities change too? Gojo wasn't sure; he had never conversed with one.

"From the looks of it, they seem to be renovating the abandoned dorm, not sure why. So, they aren't doing anything bad, yet." Gojo spoke, as he absentmindedly stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Gojo was deep in thought. 'Obelisk White… is this supposedly a secret rank equal to or above Obelisk Blue, no? Tch, likely something Kaiba would do.'

"Alright, then. Count me in. I'll help you," Alexis declared, her voice determined.

??

"Seriously? Didn't you hear what I said earlier?" Gojo stared at her blankly, as he raised an eyebrow, disbelieving.

"Yeah, I'm still going to help," Alexis insisted, refusing to yield. No way was she backing down now.

"And I've got a feeling you'll make things worse," Gojo did not sugar coat it.

"Then I'll handle this on my own," she shot back defiantly.

Internally, Gojo couldn't help but think, 'Oh my god, this bitch.' He fought the urge to facepalm.

Their gazes locked in a silent battle of determination.

Alexis couldn't bear the thought of a shady and dangerous group roaming the academy island, brainwashing her friends and classmates. Her resolve was unshakable, and Gojo saw that fire in her eyes.

To Gojo, Alexis was a selfless person who always charged straight into danger for reasons he couldn't quite understand. At least now, she was on par with Jaden and Chazz in terms of dueling, though he admitted this might be due to his blatant favoritism. He even liked Alexis, but he didn't want her willingly walking into danger.

"If you're set on helping... How about starting with helping me cook dinner, how bout that?" Gojo suggested, promptly receiving a smack. He deserved it entirely. She stormed out of the room, stomping.

If Alexis was willing to jump into danger, then it made sense to let her. Talking her out of it sounded like a chore. Though Dark Magician Girl would have a fit if she found out. Speaking of whom, she's probably eavesdropping on his thoughts from afar right now.

Later, Alexis returned with ingredients pilfered from the Obelisk kitchen, ready to whip up dinner.

***

That very evening, after our meal, we decided to pay a visit to Chazz's room in the red dormitory again. We got a text message telling us to hang out at Chazz's house for a while. Alexis, Bastion, Syrus, Chazz, Tyranno, and I all settled onto the sofa watching television. The TV was now set to an interesting discussion between Aster Phoenix and Zane Trusdale.

The duel is going to take place in Kaiba Land, in a Blue-Eyes White Dragon Dome Stadium that was packed with fans.

"Isn't this the same dude who challenged me and Jaden with some random cards he picked up from a vendor at our school?" I rudely gestured at the TV while glancing at our group for confirmation.

"Yeah, no shit." Chazz huffed. He was itching for a duel with Aster but never got the chance.

"Wait, hold up. You dueled Aster Phoenix?! When was this?!" Tyranno exclaimed, turning to me in surprise. Aren't Satoru Gojo and Aster Phoenix in the same rank? If people found out about this, it would have been a highlight of the year.

"Yeah, he's actually a student here. But it wasn't much of a duel, really. I wiped him out in one turn. Dumbass had it coming with his random deck he cooked up on the spot," I clicked my teeth in annoyance. "He even had the audacity to disrespect Jaden. No one on this island is allowed to do that except me."

"Gojo, you of all people shouldn't be disrespecting duelists," Alexis interjected, giving me a disapproving look. Gojo just grinned cheekily, sticking out his tongue and flashing a middle finger in response.

"The strong can do whatever they want, I guess," Bastion added. "But let's not forget, Aster hasn't lost a single duel in the pro world. He's 30 - 0. Although, Zane's right up there at 10 - 0."

Gojo burst into loud laughter after hearing what Bastian just said, "Man, all the pros better pack up and leave once I step into the pro scene." Alexis promptly pinched his thigh to quiet him down.

Everyone shook their heads, imagining the chaos but quickly dismissing it.

"Heh, well, it's a shame I'm not going pro," Gojo chuckled, wiping away his happy tears.

"You're not?!" Tyranno exclaimed in shock.

"Nope. Absolutely not. Not interested. I'd rather do other things than duel professionally over there. I'm already recognized as #1, even though I've never officially dueled in the pro scenes. So I don't need to duel in the professional world. Besides, I've got connections and can call them on speed dial too." Gojo explained lazily. "Dealing with schedules, management, fulfilling contracts, doing commercials and talking in formalities—it's just not my thing."

But to the people in this world, Gojo's mindset was baffling. Isn't it standard to attend a duel school, then a prestigious duel academy, and finally go pro with management or sponsorship? That's the typical path to success in the dueling world. Yet here was Gojo, practically handed everything on a diamond platter, and he had no interest in pursuing a professional dueling career.

"Ahahahahaha." Jaden laughed out loud.

Chazz gawked at Gojo, uttering, "Unbelievable."

Syrus, bewildered, couldn't resist but asked, "Why?"

"Alright, hear me out," Gojo began, leaning back on the couch with a mischievous grin. "You all know Yugi Muto, Seto Kaiba, and even Joey Wheeler, right? Despite never going pro, they're legends worldwide! Everyone knows they're better than the pros."

He paused for effect. "Going pro these days? It's like slapping a label on yourself, conforming to society's standards. If you're not in the top rankings, you might as well not exist, just there for the money and small fame," he declared, gesturing enthusiastically. Then, almost under his breath, he muttered "Unless you're a woman. Fanbase definitely goes crazy for that." They all heard that.

The room fell silent as Gojo's words hung in the air.

Alexis had been informed beforehand about Gojo's future, so she remained calm.

"So... what's your plan for the future then? We all have to pursue a career after all," Bastion asked. "You're not going pro, but you're interested in sponsoring us going pro."

"I'm going to study a little on how to duel on a vehicle. But let me tell you guys first, dueling on a high-speed vehicle will be the next big thing in the distant future, with speeds reaching 220 km/h (136 miles per hour). So, I guess I'm going to be an engineer and a designer?"

"The fuck—I don't believe it. It sounds bizarre. Dueling has always been about standing still. How the hell do you duel while zooming around at high speed? Autopilot?" Tyranno countered Gojo's statement.

"Seriously? This is going to be Kaiba's invention. He's a genius. Remember when he sent a rocket to space with a deck of cards, hoping it'd meet an alien smart enough to duel?" Gojo chuckled.

"Ah…" Everyone here seems to recall that childhood memory. Crazy.

"Um, I suppose it's somewhat likely possible," Bastion said, feeling uneasy as he considered the idea. "So, that was why you were trying to pull me into that profession."

"This is starting to sound like crazy fun." Jaden exclaimed with fire in his eyes and passion.

"I've already got plans on a duel vehicle prototype, it's called a duel runner," Gojo declared, flashing double peace signs. "Just gotta get past graduation."

Gojo's plans revolve around 'legally' acquiring Paradox's future duel runner (from 5Ds) when he comes to this timeline and then giving it to Kaiba. Kaiba could then improve upon the design, creating better dueling vehicles for both Gojo and himself.

'I bet the pharaoh has one himself too,' Gojo smirked. 'He had duels before while sitting on a running horse in ancient Egypt; so in theory he was ahead of the times.'

Meanwhile, as they chatted, the show was starting.

***

As the late-night show came to an end, Gojo and Alexis strolled back to their dorm, and Gojo couldn't hide his disappointment anymore. "That was one boring ass show. I was expecting a duel, not a talk show and debates," he grumbled to Alexis. He had mistakenly thought the duel was scheduled for today.

What they had just watched wasn't a thrilling duel, but rather a recap of the two duelists' careers, building anticipation and hype for tomorrow's match.

Gojo couldn't help but notice the lackluster editing. Small panels here and there, with an occasional weird after effects thrown in as a highlight reel, made the video look amateurish from his perspective. It was far from the smooth, fire edits Gojo was used to seeing on TikTok or YouTube in his previous life. However, in a time where quality entertainment was hard to come by such broadcasts were sadly the norm.

"I still can't believe you found that exciting," Gojo looking at her annoyed, his frustration peak.

Alexis couldn't help but smirk. "I guess we have different tastes. I found today's broadcast quite entertaining."

"If only I could show you edited videos from my world, then you'd understand," Gojo muttered. He slowly started to consider becoming a content creator for pure hobby due to the lack of entertainment options.

And so, the day continued on its usual course for the duo as they returned to their respective room. Gojo was busy working hard with Dark Magician Girl to satisfy her libido.

***

A/N: I'm considering having the MC time travel or transport into 5Ds or Arc V (since there's another Alexis in that world). I haven't fully watched either series, but it's finally an idea I'm eager to explore after this volume. 5/25/2024.

Well, we will see. I originally wanted to add a bunch of smut like writing into this fanfic. But I have come to accept I'm dog shit at it. That's why I'm not going to go in deep end like that. Maybe just a little here and there but not blatant anymore from now on.